The present invention pertains to vehicle side steps in general, and more specifically to a side step that is bolted onto a vehicle frame and has an angular adjustment relative to the radial extension and height of the side step.
Previously, many types of vehicle aftermarket steps, have been in use to provide an effective means to enter and exit a vehicle that has a body which is elevated from the ground.
The prior art found did not disclose any patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Stecker, Sr. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,093 teaches a step equal to the width on a persons foot that is positioned on a pair of support arms that extend from the top surface of the step. The support arms have upstanding portions which are engaged by a bracket assembly that connects them to a vehicle frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,829 issued to Holloway et al. is for a sub-frame support system and running board for a vehicle. The running board is removably mounted on a sub frame with a pair of sockets for receiving a frame member. The running board is a structural member having shaped support members extending from its ends which are configured to mount in the sockets. Pins retain the support members in the sockets, allowing the running board to be removed.
Delgado et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,589 discloses a side step which mounts to tubular side bars. The step includes a mounting insert for placement within the side bars with a structure to mount the step. The step is provided with a grid of ribs and channels to reduce the amount of material required while providing adequate strength.
Richards in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,869 teaches a conversion kit for a protected step. The kit includes a hanger framework capable of mounting beneath several different vehicle chassis. A step is supported on the hanger framework which includes a step deck spaced below the bottom edge of a vehicle door. The edge of the door is covered with a skirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,751 issued to Hanes et al. discloses a retractable and extendible step mounted on a vehicle to facilitate passenger ingress and egress. The step includes a frame that is mounted onto the vehicle beneath a doorway, and a movable linkage arrangement supporting the step tread from the frame to control movement between a retracted and extended position.
Full size pick-up trucks and sports utility vehicles including both two-wheel and four-wheel drive, have become extremely popular in the United States and in foreign countries. Further, large tire size combined with the large size of the vehicle has created a problem of entering and exiting a vehicle, as the bottom of the vehicle""s frame and body is relatively high with respect to the ground. The original equipment manufacturer has addressed the problem only on a limited basis by offering running boards on some sports utility vehicles and vans however the difficulty still remains in the majority of cases. As mentioned above, side steps and running boards have been developed as aftermarket equipment however, the fact that there is such a wide variety of vehicle configurations and only a few designs that have been successful and are on the market today indicates that there is need for improvement in the field of side steps.
Therefore the primary object of the invention is to utilize an adjustable side step that is able to fit a large number of vehicles, as the step is attached only to a vehicle""s rocker panel. Additionally, a telescoping arm can be adjusted to fit tightly against the vehicle""s frame, thus stabilizing the assembly sufficiently to achieve the desired strength and rigidity. This advantage is realized by the number of manufacturer models and year types that the side step will fit, as the adjustment is substantially universal since the distance between most vehicle""s rocker panel and frame is within the extensible parameters of the invention.
An important object of the invention is again directed to the adjustment capabilities of the side step, as the angle of the step from underneath the rocker panel relative to the ground is adjustable prior to installation, which gives the option of how low the foot tread is and how far it extends from the vehicle. The angle of the foot tread is also adjustable to assure that the top surface is in the desired horizontal plane.
Another object of the invention is often the most important aspect to some individuals, as the overall appearance of their vehicle is affected by the addition of the side step. The invention fulfills this need completely as the elements that are visible are polished cast aluminum and stainless steel, with an aesthetic modern design that is pleasing to the eye and very robust in its presentation. The angular adjustment is accomplished with a cog gear extending from an attaching bracket with an arm having a female mating hole which is flush with the bracket, thereby leaving only the outline of the gear visible. The gear is substantially three inches in diameter, thus creating the perceptible effect of strength with the arms some quarter inch thick again allowing the side step to appear strong, solid and efficient while still being aesthetically pleasurable.
Still another object of the invention is the ease of installation, as it is necessary to drill only two holes in the inner, unexposed sheet metal rocker panel and attach a cast aluminum bracket onto each hole with a conventional nut and bolt. The stiffness is achieved by extending a pair of nested, compression leg angle members with two carriage bolts in slots to engage the vehicle frame on one end and the bracket on the other. The final compression is made by tensioning a flat-head bolt with a resilient cap against the frame and securing it in place with a locking nut. It can be clearly seen that no modification of the vehicle frame is necessary, therefore the structural integrity of the frame is not compromised in any way which is required by some prior art.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.